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A first-of-its-kind study has revealed that tampons contain toxic metals, including arsenic and lead. The “concerning” finding could mean that potentially millions of people are at risk of adverse health effects. Advertisement According to the study, between 52 and 86 percent of people in the US who menstruate use tampons, generally for hours at a […]

Along with their attitude toward tipping waiters, variations in language are one of the biggest differences between Americans and Brits. Despite their overwhelming similarities, they still can’t agree on how to spell colour/color – and let’s not even begin to discuss whether the world’s most popular sport is called football or soccer. So, when did […]

Once upon a time, all humans on Earth had brown eyes until a single person had a genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene, perhaps as recently as 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. The chance mutation impacted the production of melanin pigment in the iris, giving rise to lighter shades of eyes, from amber and hazel to […]

The rights of the Machángara River in Ecuador have been violated and measures to decontaminate it must be implemented right away, a court has ruled, after an action was filed in the hope of safeguarding the river and its sources against pollution. The river runs through the Metropolitan District of Quito, the country’s capital. Advertisement […]

Creatures of the deep dark ocean come in all shapes and sizes, but until now only one species of vampire squid has been known to be cruising along down there. However, Vampyroteuthis infernalis – which was discovered in 1903 – has now been joined by a second member of the genus, called Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis, collected […]

Sexting has previously been linked to an increase in mental health problems for teenagers, but a new study challenges this idea. It argues that efforts to reduce sexting among adolescents may not help prevent mental health issues after all. Advertisement Anyone who has gone through their teenage years will likely remember how formative and complex […]

Within the oldest crystals in the world, collected from Western Australia’s Jack Hills, lie the remnants of even older rocks – some of which were reprocessed through magma into the surviving crystals. With the help of machine learning, geologists have revealed that a third of these primeval rocks were sedimentary. This means that more than […]

Life was a wild ride for crocodiles in Ancient Egypt. As the Nile’s most iconic predator, the scaly beasts were the focus of a bizarre cult that saw them worshiped, spoiled rotten, and sacrificed, although it has taken thousands of years for researchers to figure out how the revered reptiles were lured from their natural […]

The JWST has detected the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the atmosphere of the planet HD 189733b, a nearby “hot Jupiter”. Already off the colonization list for being twice as hot as Venus and presumably having no solid surface to land on, HD 189733b can now add the smell of rotten eggs to its […]

Remarkable rare footage has been captured of pygmy blue whales in the waters of Timor-Leste, revealing for the first time what it looks like when they try to win a mate – and when they empty their bowels. It comes following a decade-long citizen science project in the region that’s famous for its whale sightings. […]

You do not want to end up on the business end of a skunk. These black and white animals look incredibly cute on the surface, but with a flick of the tail, they can unleash an almighty stench that lingers for days if you don’t know how to get it off. Advertisement As a defense […]

An unexpected feature of the room students sit their exams in may have an impact on their results, new research has found: a high ceiling.  Advertisement Generally in school and higher education, students are taught in small rooms or lecture halls and study alone in normal-sized rooms. But come exam day, due to the high […]

By 2100, more than 75 million people are likely to be living in places where the groundwater is too hot to drink, according to a new study. Groundwater temperatures are forecast to rise by up to 3.5°C (6.3°F) by the end of the century, which would mean they exceed the highest threshold set for drinking water […]

“Scorching temperatures” and “Death Valley” are two terms that aren’t particularly surprising to see together, but a record-breaking, long-running heatwave that’s currently baking the western US has taken the notoriously hot region to near-world record extremes over the last week. Advertisement Temperatures in the aptly named Furnace Creek – which holds the (sometimes disputed) title […]

Scientists have figured out a way to transform white fat cells into beige ones, effectively forcing them to burn calories rather than store them. Though the feat has so far only been achieved in mice, the researchers say their discovery could lead to the development of new weight-loss treatments for humans. Advertisement We all have […]

A new image taken from a satellite orbiting Mars has revealed a striking canyon in unprecedented detail. Known as Aganippe Fossa, the gnarly, scar-like ravine was first spotted by astronomers almost a century ago, yet can now be seen up close for the first time. Advertisement Measuring roughly 600 kilometers (373 miles) from end to […]

Hypothetical questions are always really fun in science because they make us think about what we know in a different light, which can make us better understand the huge scale of our planet. So let’s stop the Earth from spinning and see what happens.  Advertisement First of all, let’s imagine the rotation stops in one […]

A new COVID-19 strain may be contributing to more infection this winter in Australia. The KP.3, otherwise known as “FLuQE”, is a subvariant of the FLiRT strain but contains a mutation that has made it easier to spread. Advertisement FLiRT is just one strain of the infection responsible for the global Pandemic in 2020, it’s […]

In the year 1181, a new star appeared in the sky in the constellation of Cassiopeia. It was a “guest star”, what we now call a supernova. For 180 days it was bright enough to be seen before disappearing, lost for centuries. When it was rediscovered in 2021, astronomers were able to work out what […]

Chessboards have inspired many brainteasers over the years. For example: given a standard chessboard and a knight, is it possible to move the piece such that it visits every square once and only once? The answer is yes – and that fact might end up helping in the struggle against climate change. Advertisement In mathematical […]